Pope Francis: Gays Deserve Apology From Catholic Church

VATICAN CITY (CBS) – The gay community deserves an apology from the Catholic Church, according to the pope.

CBS News reports that Pope Francis was asked on board the papal plane Sunday about comments from a German cardinal, who said following the massacre at an Orlando gay club that gays are owed an apology by the church that has long marginalized them.

Using a familiar line, the pope responded "Who are we to judge?" and stressed that gays should be treated with respect and must not be discriminated against.

"I think the church must not only apologize ... to a gay person it offended, but we must apologize to the poor, to women who have been exploited, to children forced into labor, apologize for having blessed so many weapons," Pope Francis said.

While many are still waiting for more progress to come from the church on LGBT issues, Pope Francis has met with gay and transgender faithful and said his encounter with gay marriage opponent Kim Davis last year was not an endorsement of her views.

In:
• LGBTQ+
• Catholic Church